Abstract

We present the first direct investigation of the coherence properties of resonant secondary emission (RSE) from quantum well excitons.¹ Using ultrafast spectral interferometry,² or TADPOLE,³ we measure spectral fringes that are resonantly enhanced at the exciton transitions. The fringe formation is due to the coherent Rayleigh component of the RSE, and allows us to investigate the dynamics of resonant Rayleigh scattering independent from incoherent luminescence. Our observation of high-contrast spectral fringes is in contradiction with current theories of time resolved resonant Rayleigh scattering from excitons¹ and shows for the first time the non-ergodic nature of the RSE.

© 1999 Optical Society of America